EuroScience Open Forum
Join Elsevier at the 9th edition of ESOF. September 2-6, 2020 — Trieste (Italy) and virtual.
The EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) is a biennial, pan-European, general science conference dedicated to scientific research and innovation. Each conference aims to deliver stimulating content and lively debate around the latest advancements and discoveries in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. ESOF brings together over 4,500 leading thinkers, innovators, policy makers, journalists and educators from more than 90 countries, to discuss current and future breakthroughs in contemporary science.
Elsevier is a proud partner of ESOF for more than a decade, and supports ESOF's mission to deliver stimulating content and lively debate around the latest advancements and discoveries in the sciences, humanities and social sciences.
Agenda
We welcome you to the Elsevier-led panels at ESOF. Browse the sessions below, and explore the full program on the ESOF website.
Time & Date | Title | Speakers |
---|---|---|
Sept 2, 2020 10:15-11:45 CET | What will the world of research look like in 10 years? | Eefke Smit, STM Adrian Mulligan, Elsevier Jean-Claude Burgelman, Vrije Universiteit Brussels Ed Gerstner, Springer Nature Lidia Borrell-Damian, Science Europe |
Sept 3, 2020 12:00-13:30 CET |
The quest for reliability in the face of an ‘infodemic’: handling scientific uncertainty in unfolding debates Open access session. | Tracey Brown, Sense about Science Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol Imran Khan, Wellcome Trust Federica Rosetta, Elsevier Cissi Askwall, Vetenskap & Allmänhet Laura Smillie, European Commission |
Sept 3, 2020 16:15-17:45 CET | European Young Researchers Award workshop: How to show the research community who you are | Sofia Blazevic, University of Zagreb Rachel Brenneshotlz, Elsevier Chris Tancock, Elsevier Max Voegler, Elsevier Lindsay Duncum, Elsevier |
Sept 3, 2020 18:00-19:30 CET |
I COMPUTE THEREFORE I AM… Ethical AI with and for the people Open access session. | Federica Rosetta, Elsevier Raja Chatila, Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics Elisabeth Ling, Elsevier Bernd Stahl, Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility Francesca Rossi, IBM Research Rudy van Belkom, NL Study Center for Technology Trends Emma Beauxis-Aussalet, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences Sweitze Roffel, Elsevier Alberna Kyumdzhieva, European Commission |
Sept 4, 2020 8:30-10:00 CET | Inclusion and gender diversity in research environments: a little less conversation, a little more action please | Karen Stroobants, Marie Curie Alumni Association, Marta Agostinho, EU-LIFE Pavel Ovseiko, University of Oxford Mina Stareva, European Commission Federica Rosetta, Elsevier Maurice O'Brien, Cardiff University Magdalini Theodoridou, University of Cyprus Nadia Metoui, University of Amsterdam |
Sept 5, 2020 16:15-17:45 CET | Data revolution: what should everyone be asking? | Marie Boran, Irish Times Tracey Brown, Sense about Science Peter Gluckman, University of Auckland Cosmina Dorobantu, The Alan Turing Institute Michiel Kolman, Elsevier Ilaina Khailurzhaman, Sense about Science |
Elsevier sessions
What will the world of research look like in 10 years?
Imagine yourself 10 years from now. It’s 2029, and the world of research has changed – dramatically for some of you. But how? Where will your research funding come from? Will your collaborators be academics or colleagues at a tech company?
Jean Claude Burgelman
Will you use artificial intelligence to determine your research hypothesis – and will journals use AI to decide whether to accept your paper? Will that “paper” even look like the manuscript you’re used to submitting? If you’re a professor, will your students come to the university or study from afar? These are just a few of the questions the new Research Futures scenario-planning study delves into. To forecast how research might be created and exchanged 10 years from now, investigators from Elsevier and Isos MORI examined the literature and market drivers, interviewed over 50 funders, futurists, publishers and technology experts and surveyed more than 2,000 researchers.
Read more about this session — What will the world of research look like in 10 years?
The quest for reliability in the face of an ‘infodemic’: handling scientific uncertainty in unfolding debates
Stephan Lewandowsky
Research and science communication have seldom been more in focus than at present. The Covid19 pandemic and the climate emergency have placed science and research at the centre of public debate and policy making. Many commentators have identified an "infodemic" overwhelming people with facts and claims, the nature of the crises we face and consequences. This session is the result of an ongoing collaboration between Elsevier and science engagement experts from various organizations: AESIS, ECSITE, EUSEA, JRC, NCCPE, Science Center Netzwerk, Sense About Science, Swedish Research Council, Vetenskap & Allmänhet , Wissenschaft im Dialog. The common desire to keep improving the public understanding of science and to support evidence based science engagement, has brought this group to informally meet and share best practices.
European Young Researchers Award: How to show the research community who you are
Sofia Blazevic
When potential supervisors, employers and collaborators ask you to sum up your research motivation and achievements in a few sentences, it can be tough to know what to say. In this interactive workshop, experts in communicating about research will explain ways to increase your visibility and promote your work — whether that means all your achievements or just a single poster, article or dataset. Topics will include how use and promote public profiles, social media presence and alt-metrics; where open science activities fit into the picture; and how showcasing yourself helps you make your pitch to potential supervisors, employers and collaborators.
I COMPUTE THEREFORE I AM… Ethical AI with and for the people
Francesca Rossi
At this session, moderated by Sweitze Roffel, Senior Publisher for Elsevier’s Computer Science journals, and Elizabeth Ling, SVP Web Analytics, will discuss the implications of Artificial Intelligence in Ethics Research, and the needs and requirements desired to build people-centric AI systems. The surge of Artificial Intelligence in recent years have raised expectations about the transformational power of technologies to change the way we work and live. However, along with significant improvements brought by AI, concerns and fears have started to emerge.
Inclusion and gender diversity in research environments: a little less conversation, a little more action please
Mina Stareva
For a long time, the prevailing attitude towards gender diversity in research among researchers and policy makers was that good research is ‘neutral’. That is, it should not matter what the gender, gender identity or sexual orientation of the researcher is, and studies irrespectively are ‘neutral’. These beliefs have now been challenged by extensive scientific evidence, which shows that inclusion and gender diversity in research in reality are hindered by extensive hidden conscious and unconscious biases. The panel will discuss and take questions on existing drivers, progress that has been made and remaining barriers that need to be overcome to achieve inclusivity in research. At this session, Federica Rosetta, Director Global Strategic Relations, EU & Nordics, will be speaking on September 4, 2020 on gender in the global research landscape based on Elsevier’s latest report “The Researcher Journey Through a Gender Lens”. Outcomes of the discussion will be formulated as a set of recommendations for European policy makers, funders, and institutions.
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
‘Data revolution’: what should everyone be asking?
At this session, Michiel Kolman, Senior VP of Information Industry Relations and Academic Ambassador, will be speaking on September 5, 2020 on the quality of data science derived evidence.
Peter Gluckman
This is a discussion about how citizens, politicians and journalists can press for quality and responsibility in data science derived evidence. This session will be an inversion – a panel-led interview with an audience of research and policy organisations about how best to pursue these questions and potential solutions."
Read more about the session - ‘Data revolution’: what should everyone be asking?
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Partner sessions
In addition to the sessions presented above, you can also find below the links to two open sessions organized by SCICOM.
- Covid-19: Unveiling ground-breaking research on brain impacts & the search for novel, plant-based vaccines — September 3, 2020 from 12:00 – 13:30
As an ESOF exclusive, the results of two major research programmes looking at brain impacts of COVID-19 and plant-based vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the disease will be presented for the first time, followed by an interactive key influencer debate moderated by the Financial Times Science Editor. Read more about this session on the ESOF website.
- If COVID-19 is the 9/11 moment for global public health, what needs to happen next? — September 4, 2020 from 08:30 – 10:00
Join the Lancet Editor-in-Chief Richard Horton at this high-level panel discussion moderated by the Financial Times Science Editor. It brings together world leading authorities on public health practice, management and policy. They are charged with conceiving, developing, implementing and often running those invisible systems we take for granted in our everyday lives – now utterly re-written by COVID-19.
Resources

Gender report 2020
Elsevier’s latest gender report, The Researcher Journey Through a Gender Lens, examines research participation, career progression and perceptions across the EU, and 15 countries in 26 subject areas. Our goal is to better understand the role gender plays in the global research enterprise and inspire evidence-based policy driven by powerful data.

AI report
Millions of hours have been spent researching AI. But how do we manage the knowledge - and use it to exploit opportunity? The report Artificial Intelligence: How knowledge is created, transferred, and used is s a meticulously constructed and comprehensive guide to make the most of the fast growing bank of knowledge available today.

Research futures report
3 plausible scenarios are envisioned by the latest Elsevier/Ipsos MORI study, which draws on published literature and the views of experts and researchers. Rather than focusing on which topics will be researched 10 years from now, we looked at how that research will be created and exchanged.

Novel Coronavirus Information Center
The Novel Coronavirus Information Center provides expert, curated information for the research and health community. All resources are free to access and include guidelines for clinicians and patients.

Trust in Research report
The Trust in Research study, conducted in collaboration with Sense about Science explores the impact of increased information volumes on workload and resultant coping mechanisms.

Researcher Academy
Researcher Academy provides free access to countless e-learning resources designed to support researchers on every step of their research journey. Browse our extensive module catalogue to uncover a world of knowledge, and earn certificates and rewards as you progress.
Speakers bios

Albena Kuyumdzhieva
European Commission

Raja Chatila
Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics ISIR, France

Elisabeth Ling
Elsevier

Bernd Stahl
De Montfort University, UK

Francesca Rosssi
IBM Research, US

Rudy van Belkom
Stichting Toekomstbeeld der Techniek, Netherlands

Emma Beauxis-Aussalet
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands

Federica Rosetta
Elsevier, Netherlands

Tracey Brown
Sense about Science

Stephan Lewandowsky
University of Bristol

Imran Khan
Wellcome Trust

Cissi Askwall
Vetenskap & Allmänhet

Laura Smillie
European Commission

Emma Frans
Karolinska Institute

Paul Manners
University of Bristol

Eefke Smit
STM

Adrian Mulligan
Elsevier

Jean-Claude Burgelman
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Ed Gerstner
Springer Nature
